Assessing the Impact of Israel's Segregation Wall on the Palestinian Agricultural Biodiversity

This paper discusses the impact of the Israeli Segregation wall on the Palestinian natural green coverage and agrobiodiversity resources in the West Bank. The studied impacts assist in measuring the status of various components of agricultural biodiversity that exist in the segregation zone, which is located between the segregation wall and the 1949 Armistice line (Green line). Agrobiodiversity, in particular, is one pillars for future sustainable development and an indicator of environmental health (viability and sustainability) in the Palestinian Territory The Israeli segregation zone on both the western and eastern parts of the West Bank will be one of the most threatening acts as it would likely add further fragmentation of ecosystems and habitats in both Israel and the West Bank.The segregation zone also causes strip clearing of land including forest and other vegetation clearing, where almost 39385 dunums of forested area is included in the Western and 1473 dunums in the Eastern segregation zone, forming 50.7% of its total area. This can exacerbate the longterm trend of degradation of planted and natural forests in the area. On the other hand, parts of more than 40 protected areas are also included in the anticipated Israeli segregation zone, forming 49.1 % of its total area, where Palestinians cannot have access to, and not even for management purposes.